USA Network’s drama Shooter, executive produced by Mark Wahlberg, has tapped Ryan Phillippe (Secrets & Lies) for the lead. With Phillippe on board, the project, which had a pilot commitment, has received a pilot green light.

Written by John Hlavin (Underworld: Awakening) based on the 2007 Paramount feature starring Wahlberg as well as Stephen Hunter’s novel Point Of Impact, the action drama centers on Bob Lee Swagger (Phillippe), an off-the-grid former Marine sniper who is coaxed into action to thwart the killing of the President. Ultimately double-crossed and framed for the attempt, he must call upon all the skills he acquired as a decorated Marine sharpshooter to avoid capture while hunting down and exposing the traitors who set him up.

In addition to playing the role portrayed in the movie by Wahlberg, Phillippe will serve as a producer on the pilot. “I love the character of Bob Lee Swagger and we are thrilled to have Ryan on board for the show,” said Wahlberg, who is executive producing alongside Hlavin, Stephen Levinson and Lorenzo di Bonaventura for Paramount TV and Universal Cable Prods. Simon Cellan Jones (Ballers) is set to direct the pilot.

The project was originally set up at TNT last September with Hlavin, Wahlnerg and Paramount TV. Paramount negotiated an early release of the script this past spring and took it to USA whose executives jumped on it, giving it a pilot commitment with a big penalty attached if it didn’t go to pilot. The script underwent further development before the network proceeded with attaching talent and greenlighting a pilot.

Phillippe is coming off playing the male lead in the first installment of ABC’s mystery drama Secrets and Lies. He previously co-starred on the final season of Damages. Most recently, Phillippe co-wrote, produced and starred in feature Catch Hell, which marks his directorial debut. He is repped by WME and MGMT. Entertainment, and David Weber.